Traveler concerned about climate change

To The Eagle:

I wonder about the lack of common sense among some people and politicians in regard to our environment. A recent visit and stay in Venice brought focus to my point-concern.

Having arrived in Venice Italy (work and pleasure) in the late afternoon of Nov 12, by 10:00 p.m., I woke to the noises of people on the street below my window walking in 18-inches of water. The record floods caused by the high tides continued into the morning of Nov 17 when I left Venice. In the morning of the 13th, the water was over two feet deep in the hotel lobby; three-plus feet in the street outside the door. All shops, stores and restaurants experiencing this flooding were closed. But the tourists were out in force taking photos and watching all the merchants clean. The doors to all facilities have two feet high barriers, but with this flooding, so what. Venice is home to 50,000 residents whose sole purpose is to host 35,000,000 visitors a year. A beautiful place, but perhaps touristed to death. At the highest tide, I was not there, there were five feet of water in St. Mark’s Square. One morning, I went for coffee and there was water on the flood (1/2 inch) as I walked into the dining area. Within 15-minutes, the water was six inches deep, and I was asked to return to my room. However, I was planning to leave as the smell and debris of sewage was becoming really unpleasant.

This is a mixed message, a travel report, but also my statement of concern about our environment. It is a world problem. While I feel I can open a new body cavity to and for (anyone) those who deny climate change, a more subtle and reasonable suggestion is to begin to recognize the consequences. Acknowledge and suggest some initial ideas to address the problem. The interesting and seemingly beyond intellectual comprehension is that every Republican legislator (local, state and national) denies climate change. Their response to issues that are about the future protection and maintenance of our lives and planet are some of the following. Divert funds to build a human wall, dismantle environment rules and regulations, leave the Paris Climate Agreement, and discard regulations to have high-mileage vehicles.

For me, the use of “alternate facts” coupled to unethical political words, actions and deeds (lies) is unjust in avoiding climate change. Hopefully, irrespective of your party affirmation, you will recognize or at least acknowledge that the retention of dogma based on limited leadership and foresight of a political parry are not what is needed for America and all Americans. I am checking if there is a test or code to confirm a person’s lack of mental acuity as criteria for a political party’s affiliation. Challenge me. While we are all ignorant on many issues, it will not help to stay ignorant, not to discuss serious concerns.

Dennis T. Gordon

Puget Island